Is there a limit for the files that are defined as external tables in Oracle 11g? As per http://download.oracle.com/docs/cd/B19306_01/server.102/b14237/limits002.htm, the last parameter External Tables file - Maximum size, it is Dependent on the operating system.
Does this mean that external tables can be as big as the underlying OS or File System can handle?
Although I haven't been able to find a definitive answer, my feeling is that any file used for an external table can be as big as the OS can handle. You can have mutliple files for each external table definition so your external table can, theoretically at least, be very large, although performance is going to be a limiting factor here. Again there doesn't seem to be a definitive answer to the number of files you can have per external table definition. Here's the link to the 11g limits which are much the same as the 10g page you posted.